Santa Paula considers updating financial software

The Santa Paula City Council on Monday night considered a proposed budget for the next fiscal year that calls for revenue of $36.8 million and spending of $33.3 million.

The council also considered updating the software that runs the city’s financial system.

City Treasurer Sandra Easley told the council the company that provides the software, Tyler Technologies, has offered to provide a free software update if the city agrees to pay the company for employee training on the software.

Tyler, which bills itself as the nation’s largest provider of software to government agencies, in 2007 provided the accounting software now used by the city, Easley said.

Easley also said the city is looking at making the most use of its existing accounting software. Aside from the software, the city may also need to get better computer hardware so it can provide financial data on a more timely basis, the council was told.

Whether the costs for these updates will come out of next fiscal year’s budget remains to be seen.

The proposed 2013-14 spending plan also calls for a general fund operating budget of $12.8 million in revenue and $12.1 million in expenses. Money in the general fund can be used for many things, unlike money in restricted or special-purpose funds.

Next fiscal year’s budget would leave Santa Paula with a general fund reserve of $1.8 million, or 15 percent of the city’s operating budget.

The proposed budget suggests the city is in a very different financial situation than it was even two years ago. At the time, Santa Paula was facing a $1.8 million deficit. To close the gap, the city was looking at closing a fire station, laying off police staff members and implementing furloughs. General fund reserves were nearly zero.

The city erased the deficit after a series of budget cuts.

As the economy has improved, so have the prospects for Santa Paula’s budget, through increased sales tax and property tax revenues.

The council is scheduled to approve a budget for next year when it meets on June 17.

Also at Monday night’s council meeting, a dozen people were also sworn in as disaster service helpers for the city.

They will aid police and other first responders during a disaster or other emergency. The program, paid for through a state fund, costs nothing to the city.

During a disaster such as an earthquake, disaster service workers will be called into action, helping the first responders and others.

They are trained in emergency response.

Numerous cities across California use such workers, including Simi Valley.

Seven firefighters also were sworn in during a separate ceremony at Santa Paula City Hall on Monday night.